Tip: Easy Way to Create Web Page

Want to have a classroom website but don't want to learn the html programming in order to publish a web page? Perhaps you don't have the money or time for a commercial program... OR...using a classroom website can be limiting...there is a solution.

I have been teaching a free program called Mozilla to my teachers that want to build classroom webpages. If you know how to word process, you can build a page. What's cool...if you are a geek that likes to work in the code, you can do that too. Another nice component is Mozilla is cross-platform so you can use it on a Mac or a PC.

Visit the Mozilla website to download the program. While you are on this site, take a look at all the other free software available to you.

There are a lot of different programs available for building websites, but Mozilla seems to be one of those that people feel comfortable with.

Stick with iPhoto: Creating an album Web Page

iPhoto is such a great program that I thought I would give you one more tip.

I had a teacher ask me today, "Is there a way I can easily create a web page with thumb nails of images, like an album page...but you can click on the thumb nail and see an enlarged image?"

Wow! What a perfect opportunity to show the export to a web page feature in iPhoto:
There are a couple of things you want to think about - preplanning. For example, do you want to use captions or comments with your images? If so, you will want to add titles and comments to your images, not sure how to do this...click on the image and then click on the "i" in the lower left corner of iPhoto, a summary box appears that lets you type in a title and comments.

Now, onto that web page:
Step 1: Select the images you wish to include in your album web page.
Step 2: Go to the File menu and choose Export
Step 3: In the Export window, click on the Web Page tab.
There are some settings you might want to change in here. This is where you tell iPhoto if you want to include comments or image titles (use as a caption).
Step 4: Export your page. There is a little trick here. What you want to do is create a folder and name it something SIMPLE that reflects the web page. Save your file into this folder. The file picks up the name of the folder.

Ta Da!! You have created an album web page.

Windows Tip: Learn the Basics

Sometimes you just need a little instruction on using Windows...or you want to know those little secrets that make computing easier, or funner. Here are a few websites you might find helpful.

Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy
You can even quiz yourself to see how you are doing.

Microsoft has a nice section on using some of the tools they include in the XP package.

This site is an excerpt from a newsletter from a PC Users group. It has a lot of text, but the information should be helpful.

About.com has great collections on this issue. Here is a section on customizing your windows views.

Windows Tip: Use Keyboard Shortcuts. Make Life Easier

In the previous post, I shared reasons for using keyboard shortcuts (efficiency and troubleshooting) along with a small collection of Mac shortcuts. In this post, I will share keyboard shortcuts for Windows users.





























This list of keyboard shortcuts comes from ComputerHope and Microsoft Support.

Mac Tip: Keyboard Shortcuts to Make Life Easier

When you learn how to do things faster on your computer, life seems easier. Technology doesn't seem to "get in the way." Here is a start in getting familiar with using your keyboard shortcuts on a Mac. The following commands are alternatives to using your mouse and accessing a menu:









The Following keyboard commands are used to manage files:












When you are in a program and want to edit text or images, use the following keyboard shortcuts:








Although learning keyboard shortcuts can take some time, the reward is well worth it. I rarely need to take my fingers off my keyboard, which allows me to get things done efficiently. Also, if my mouse dies, keyboard shortcuts allow me to control the computer so that I can troubleshoot or at the very least shut my computer down to avoid damaging files.

These screen shots are taken from lixlpixel.org.

Windows Tip: Switching Between Open Programs

So you are researching on the Internet and want to jot some notes into your word processing...how can you move back and forth between the two programs with as little effort as possible. Listed are two ways that you can use to switch between open programs.

1. Use the Taskbar. Any program that is up and running has a presence on the Taskbar. You can easily jump between programs by simply clicking once on the "button" for the desired program on the Taskbar.

2. Ctrl + Tab allows you to shuffle between open programs. When you hit Ctrl + Tab, you will see a floating window that shows you want programs are currently running. If you continue to hold down the Ctrl key and tap the Tab key, you will advance through the list of programs. When you have stopped on the desired program, let up on the Ctrl key and that program will be brought to the front. This is a quick way to get between open programs...and make your computing much more efficient.

Mac Tip: Switching between open programs

Happy Monday!
Right, well anyway...I thought since many of you are using more and more programs, it might be nice to know how to switch between programs WITH AS LITTLE EFFORT AS POSSIBLE.

It drives me nuts when someone wants to show me something...and they move between open programs by dragging windows all over here and there. It is all I can do to not take the mouse away!

So, to help you, here are a few tips to move between open programs.
1. Use the Dock
You can click on any application to launch it or bring it to the front. It is then available for you to use.

2. Command (Open Apple) Tab
Using Command + Tab brings up a floating image that shuffles through open programs. Each time you tap the Tab key, it goes to the next open program. Try it, it is BEAUTIFUL!

One final note...if you have multiple windows open in a program, use the Window menu to move between documents - STOP DRAGGING YOUR WINDOWS AROUND!!

Window Tip: Change your View to Classic

If you have been a Windows user for some time, upgrading to XP made the look of your computer a bit different and sometimes hard to get used to...but Microsoft gave you an out. You can actually change your start menu to look and act like the old start menu from Windows 95 or 98 days.

To change your start menu to the classic view:
1. Right-click on your start menu
2. Select properties from the pop-up menu
3. In the dialog box that opens, click on the Start Menu tab
4. At the bottom of the screen, click on Classic Start Menu
5. Click OK

You now have a Start Menu with the look and feel that you might be used to. If you are not sure what the changes were, go back to the Start Menu properties and click on Start Menu. Then click Apply and access your Start Menu. You can easily see the difference between the new look in XP and the classic look taken from Windows 95/98.

Mac Tip: Help the Techs Troubleshoot by Capturing Error

How many times have you talked to your computer tech and when asked what happened, you say something like, "well, first the thing was there and then the computer said I did something wrong, then it was gone."

I have to tell you, I have never had the computer tell me I have done something wrong. Also, "the thing" is a bit broad for a computer tech to decipher when troubleshooting a problem. So, to make your computer tech's life easier (and honestly, yours) you can take a screen shot of the error message so that you can show the exact error message...yes those messages actually have a purpose.

To take a picture of your entire screen, use the following keyboard command:
Command (Open Apple) + Shift + 3
This creates a file called "picture N" on your desktop (where N is a number in a sequence)

To take a picture of a selected part of your screen, use the following keyboard command:
Command + Shift + 4
You will receive cross-hairs as your cursor. Draw a box around your selection. When you let up on your mouse, this creates a file called "picture N" on your desktop (where N is a number in a sequence)

If you don't want to save a file, but copy the image to the clipboard, just add the Control key to your keyboard shortcut, then use the paste command to place the image into your document.
So, Command + Shift + Control + 3 for a screen shot capture
Command + Shift + Control + 4 for a selection capture


If you are trying to help your tech by providing them with a screen shot, use the keyboard shortcuts that save the image as a file. Then , you can attach the file in an email.

I guarantee you will make your computer tech's life easier by providing screen shots of error messages, when you are encountering a problem on your computer.

January is the Month of Tips

Happy New Year! I trust you all had a nice break and are ready to plow through the rest of the school year. Hopefully these coming blogs in January will make your job a little easier, if not your computing a little more fun.

For the month of January, my goal (notice I didn't say resolution) is to post a technology tip each day. I will try to aternate between Mac and PC tips and troubleshooting ideas.

For my first post, I will combine a Mac AND PC tip: closing multiple windows at once.

For Windows XP:
Hold down the SHIFT key as you click on the X button to close the most recent of the windows. This will close all the windows related to the one you clicked on. Notice it doesn't close ALL windows, just ALL windows that are related, for example all of your Internet Explorer windows that are currently open.

For Mac:
Hold the Option key down while you click on the x button of a window. The same is true for the Mac that is for the PC. You will only close related windows.

Hopefully, this little tip will help you close out of programs and shut your computer down a little quicker at the end of the day.